Flyers Inside OutA Late Night (sorta) in New York; Rinaldo and Lilja updates

NEW YORK – After the forgettable performance in Tampa last Sunday, the Flyers got a much-needed day off, away from hockey to unwind in the Big Apple.

Three players decided to check out a show, and got more than they could ever have imagined.

Mike Knuble, Braydon Coburn and Kimmo Timonen, joined by assistant equipment manager Harry Bricker and travel director Bryan Hardenbergh, were able to get tickets to Monday’s Jimmy Fallon show.

The show itself was entertaining, but what happened afterward was even more memorable.

The group was invited backstage to meet Fallon in his dressing room, and while that is where they first exchanged pleasantries, Fallon gave them a bonus.

“Let’s go hang out on the set,” Fallon said.

And that’s what these Flyers did.

Knuble took the seat closest to Fallon’s desk and then the six of them started snapping pictures.

Braydon Coburn, Kimmo Timonen and Mike Knuble meet Jimmy Fallon on the set of his show.

Fallon said he would take one straightforward photo with them but then all the others had to be candid and goofing off.

For several minutes, the Flyers guys were having the time of their lives.

“Bryan new somebody who knew members of The Roots [Fallon’s band, who are from Philadelphia] and we e-mail chained it all the way up to the top,” Knuble said. “He was very nice. We talked a bit, but when he said, ‘Let’s go up to the stage,’ it was cool. He’s a real high-energy guy, a true actor/performer. It turned out really good. It was interesting to see how the whole process works.”

Coburn was a last-minute addition to the group, admitting he didn’t know that the show was taped earlier in the day.

“When Mike asked me if I wanted to go, I asked what time the show airs at,” Coburn said. “When he told me it was 12:30 a.m. I said, ‘Sorry, I can’t go. That’s too late.’

He told me they tape it at 4:30 p.m. and I thought, O.K., I can go. It was a really neat experience. It’s always cool to see how things were behind the scenes and Jimmy Fallon was a really nice guy. It was a fun experience.”

Fallon even offered to have them back when they are in New York again in early March to go on the show as guests.

“He mentioned they did something with the New York Jets and had a guy from the team go on stage and have his chest hair waxed,” Knuble said. “I don’t know how well that would go over, but it’d be pretty fun.”

Fallon requested the guys goof off in other phots, here's one sample.

………………………………………………………………….

Coach Peter Laviolette wouldn’t confirm his lineups for tonight’s game, but it appears Zac Rinaldo will be back and so will Andreas Lilja.

The extra skaters who spent another 45 minutes on the ice after the morning skate were Jody Shelley, Kurtis Foster and Tye McGinn. The usual protocol is that those players do not play at night unless there’s an emergency circumstance prior to puck drop.

Rinaldo , who is technically being considered a game-time decision, said it feels good skating, but that it hurts like heck for a good 30 seconds if he gets hit where the cut is located.

Rinaldo said there is some additional padding being added to his shin guard to protect the cut, but that he wouldn’t wrap it because it could affect blood circulation into his legs while skating.

With Rinaldo back, that left Laviolette with a tough choice between McGinn, who has played very well for the Flyers, and Tom Sestito for the final lineup spot.

It appears Sestito might get the nod because the coaches expect the game with the Rangers to be a bit more physical.

As for Lilja, this would mark his first game-action with the Flyers since last season.

He overcame offseason hip surgery and was sent to the Adirondack Phantoms for four games after clearing waivers.

He said he felt good while playing down on the farm.

“I felt great,” Lilja said. “It was fun. It was just fun to play games. That’s what you want to do when you are a hockey player – play games.”

……………………………………………………………….

The Flyers spent a little more time than usual working on the power play than at most morning skates.

It’s no question that clicking at just 11 percent effectiveness has been a sore spot for the team.

“We talk about the power play every day,” said captain Claude Giroux. “We’re just trying to get better in all areas.”

That was a sentiment echoed by Laviolette, in what was certainly the Lavy “Play With Some Jam” quote of the day:

Asked what one thing he’d like to see different tonight than in the last game from Sunday, Laviolette was intense, but not curt.

“There’s no one thing,” he said. “There’s a whole bunch of things. I think collectively as a group we weren’t sharp. Make no excuses about it, we didn’t play well enough. There is no one answer. I can give you a lot of different answers but instead of reciting them all, I think we’ll just work on it on the ice and try to be a better group.

“We played two really good games and started off in New Jersey going down the right road. I’d rather focus on that. We have guys that are rested and ready to play.”

To contact Anthony SanFilippo email asanfilippo@comcastspectacor.com or follow him on Twitter @AnthonySan37